Apple Introduces the iPad

Looking dapper in jeans and a black mock turtle-neck, Steve Jobs took the stage today and officially introduced his iPad to the world. As we’ve been seeing and hearing from so many rumors as of late, it appears as if the iPhone got the super-size treatment, complete with a home button.

At only half an inch thin, and sporting a 9.7″ screen, the iPad weighs in at only one and a half pounds. It’s powered by Apple’s (s aapl) very own chip – the A4 – ans “screams” at 1GHz. Available with 16, 32, or 64GB flash storage, and has 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. Oh, and you can run it for 10 hours (a month in standby!) while watching videos. Wow! So far, no mention of any cellular carrier connectivity. UPDATE: Carrier details below!

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If you’re a current iPhone user, much of the interaction with the iPad looks to be very familiar. For instance, tilting the iPad gives you portrait or landscape viewing — both orientations support a lovely full screen keyboard. It also appears that the app icons on the “home screen” change orientation too.

The software — assumed to be iPhone version 4.0, SDK available now — appears quite familiar, but has been blown-up to support the larger screen. It appears also to allow custom background wallpaper, and sports a very OS X-like dock at the bottom of the screen. And of course, it runs iPhone Apps using “pixel doubling” for full screen mode, or sports a black frame in regular sized mode. As an aside, this looks sick for viewing the likes of New York Times (s nyt) and other ‘print media’ type web content.

We have yet to hear the price, but watch this space and we’ll updated as soon as we know.

UPDATE: We’re now finding out that there will be a 3G-capable version of the iPad, with service from AT&T starting at $14.99 for 250MB per month, and $29.99 for unlimited monthly usage. It’s pre-paid and there is no contract to deal with. International deals are projected to be worked out by June. All 3G models are unlocked, though and will work anywhere globally with new GSM micro SIMs.

As for pricing of the device itself, it starts at $499, which is a very low cost of entry. It will get you the 16GB base model without 3G. $599 will get you the 32GB Wi-Fi only model, and $699 will bump you up to 64GB. With 3G, the prices are $629, $729 and $829 respectively for the different storage capacities.

Shipping will take place within about 90 days for the 3G models, 60 days for those with Wi-Fi only.

Yeah I’d wait a bit for this one. Number one, the name stinks. Number two, there’s not camera. Number three, the fact that you need to sync it to a computer is kinda poopy. And I would get uncomfortable holding it.

But it DOES open up a door of technology and it’s beautiful, like everything else Apple! :D

Bare with them you guys. This is Apple were talking about.
They know what their doing. They already have millions of products in line waiting to be released and trust me, an iPad with a camera is one of them.
They are just slowly grabbing our attention with this model first just as they did with the iPhone.
Just trust me, its coming.

Pathetic. What a waste of time, effort and opportunity to get a boot into a market with NO competition, and they give “us” this. Poorly thought out, no camera is insane. OS User interface looks like kindergarten has landed. We are not all stupid. Yeah books are great… thats cos they are BOOKS. I’m not lending you my iPad so you can read a book. There is no point in locking content down… Limewire, Vuze and Bittorrent will fix that. I still can’t see how you are supposed to use this on a flat desk… hunch over it ? type flat onto it… radio reveiwed this, and went on about the page turning, yawn. Please. Give it Skype, give it a camera, give it TomTom, give it a GPS, get real Apple. wake up. If only Microsoft wasn’t so useless Apple would be driven to actually making a real mark on the ground and creating product that WILL alter computing. Not just trying to dumb it down for the masses so they don’t get too confused. The masses are already confused, thats why they have a pen and paper.

Granted the TomTom is a software App, still can’t wait to see some twit use it on a desk… what does the charger look like ? Are batteries $400 ? Looking forward to the teardown to see what hardware is included and not utilised. IMHO, not convinced I really need another iPhone/iTouch with a bigger screen.

People keep comparing it to their phones and laptops. But hey is not either one. If they are not happy with it simply don’t buy it.

It has somethings missing but this is a 1st gen device.

I am still getting one as soon as it released and that do not mean I will drop my iMac, iPhone, iPodsssss or even my Win 7 machine. Their is plenty of room and each item has their strong and weak points. I maybe dropping my Kindle.

I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed myself. However, I do agree that consecutive versions will weed out the the kinks and I’m looking forward to that. My husband is elated and has been talking all day about the announcement of the iPad.

Verizon wouldn’t pay the price that AT&T paid to get the IPhone – and now that Verizon has the Motorola/Google Droid … well, the Droid is basically the same – some would say better because of the connectivity. If Verizon gets the IPhone either one of two things will probably happen: Either Apple will make a much smaller profit or the IPhone will cost so much that not many will buy it.

I don’t quite understand what the target market of a device like this is, if it has to compromise some of the iphone features? I have a macbook and an iphone and they seem to give me everything i need technology wise…

…apart from a lomographic camera, but i doubt they could incorporate that as a feature…

So once again, I have to chose either to get the new tech toy and not be able to use it because of AT&T’s terrible 3G network coverage or wait and hope that Verizon will be invited to the party. Thanks Steve for nothing.

Apple ipad is gonna be a killer device. Maybe not in US or UK but it wud be a killer device in India… Just because of one reason iPhone and Touch have not really penetrated like in US or UK and most of the people over there will think it just as an bigger version of touch. 3 G is getting stabilized and moreover its exactly what everyone wud prefer, a mobile entertainment device with an excellent browser, The laptops are too much for people who use it only to browse or listen song or watch movies, thats what 70% does with an laptop.. And with a price tag of USD 500, this device is gonna make Microsofts, HPs, Dells cry and cut down their prices drastically.. I request apple not to delay its launch like iPhone or touch.. it would be a sever blow…. Apple has done their homework. its gonna be a hit with the masses if not for the niche..

Disappointment or elation is really immaterial right now. The key of this, IMHO, is that Apple has a $500 form factor product that already outdistances the Kindle, is far more portable than a Macbook and is a great portable laptop App plus gaming system. Everything will grow from there. Competition will be hard pressed to duplicate the combination of the Apps, the books and the viewing experience.

Watch it grow. Yes it does have microphone and Skype will be there v soon.

I agree, Very disappointing, and at the cost of a windows laptop. When will Apple EVER lower there prices so that they match Microsoft’s or go even lower? That will be the day that I start buying a mac and accessories for myself.

Well when it comes to Microsoft… it’s “Lower Prices, Lower Standards”. Apple has higher standards, and unfortunately higher prices. If you want to sacrifice the name Apple has made for itself then you probably wouldn’t even be seeing something like the iPad. You probably would have no clue about the functions of the iPod.

In fact, we’d probably be just graduating from all-keyboarding to the generic mouse technology.

Apple is worth it face it. :)

Oh and I do NOT like that iPad name. For once, I’ll say “What were they THINKING?”

@curt – yeah, that’s kind of the problem with the Apple Rumormill. We all get hyped up about all the possible things the mystery device might do, and what we want it to do, and then it’s kind of a let down when it doesn’t live up to the unrealistic hype.

@solefald – no kidding. I wanted Aperture in the worst way. Iwork got updated. yay. And that name – wow…